The commonly-known version on the Let It Be album was actually the same basic track as the Beatles' 1968 original but with major differences. In the spring of 1970, producer Phil Spector was brought in to salvage their Get Back sessions, including "Universe." He stripped some of the original overdubs, slowed it down andin his famous "wall of sound"
manneradded numerous layers of strings, brass, percussion and a vocal choir, giving the song a whole new feel.

The 1968 version was considered for release as a Beatles' single but was instead donated to the No One's Gonna Change Our World album, a benefit for the World Wildlife Fund. "Lady Madonna" became their next 45.

Four Beatles versions of "Across The Universe" have been issued: the original, the 1970 Let It Be album, an outtake on Anthology 2 and the latest on Let It Be...Naked. Comparing the Anthology and Naked recordings to the others, it's clear the original was sped up and Spector's was slowed down.

The lyrics to "Alabama Song" were written as a poem in 1927 by Bertoit Brecht. Later that year, Kurt Weill wrote music for it and the song was used in a short opera, The Little Mahagonny. It then appeared in their 1930 full opera Rise and Fall Of The City of Mahagonny. Both productions featured Lotte Lenya singing "Alabama Song."

When the German-Dutch label Ultraphon went bankrupt in 1932, German Telefunken purchased it and reissued Lenya’s original using the same release number.

Despite the note on the label stating this is sung in German, it's actually in English.

"Al Di Là" was the 1961 San Remo Festival winner. As was customary, it was performed twice; by Curtis and Tajoli who each then released studio versions. They were done essentially simultaneously, so both qualify as "the original."

The song "Alfie" was inspired by, but not originally part of, the 1966 film of the same title. Cher's recording was dubbed over the movie's end credits in the US while Cilla Black's was used for the UK release.

The song was written for the Marx Brothers' stage musical The Cocoanuts, but it was dropped from the score.
When composer Irving Berlin married Ellin Mackay in 1926, he gave her the rights to "Always" as a wedding present. Considering how many artists cut it in that year alone, it was quite a gift.

The flipside of Kaufman's record is another version of "Always," by Ernie Golden & Orch, recorded 2-2-26. February was a busy month for the song!

Music mogul Bill McColl, using the pseudonym W.S. Stevenson, had a habit of adding his name to songwriting credits (like "Hot Rod Lincoln"), especially ones controlled by his 4-Star Publishing. Early pressings of Belew's Decca single listed only Carl as the writer.

Am I The Man

Al Kent 1957
Checker 881

Al Kent (1959 for Wizard/Baritone), Bobby Lester, Jackie Wilson

Am I The Same Girl (aka Soulful Strut)

Barbara Acklin 1968
Brunswick 55399

Young-Holt Unlimited, Dusty Springfield, Swing Out Sister

The backing track for Acklin's vocal version was used as the foundation for Young-Holt Unlimited's instrumental hit.

Jester Hairston got writer's credit for his arrangement of what is probably a traditional spiritual. "Amen" was the theme for the film Lilies Of The Field and even though Sidney Poitier is depicted singing it, it was Hairston's voice. The soundtrack included two vocal versions and an instrumental conducted by Jerry Goldsmith.

Lilies Of The Field premiered in June, 1963 and I'm assuming Hairston's recording was done earlier than Belafonte's. Since there is no date available for Hairston's, this is not quite definitive.

Early pressings of the Impressions' hit version had no writers credit, while later ones listed Jerry Goldsmith.

The Folkswingers' recording, featuring Glen Campbell on 12-string guitar, is an instrumental. Writer Dino Valenti's (aka Dino Valente, Chet Powers, Jesse Orris Farrow) 1964 vocal demo of the song has also been released.

And I Love You So

Don McLean 1969
Mediarts 108

Bobby Goldsboro, Perry Como

And Suddenly

Left Banke 2-67
Smash 2089

Cherry People

And When I Die

Peter, Paul & Mary 1966 (rel. 7-66)
on lp Warner Bros 1648 Album

Laura Nyro (11-66), Blood Sweat & Tears

Angel Of Mine

Eternal 1977
on CD UK EMI 8217982 Greatest Hits

Monica

Eternal's recording was also issued, in various mixes and edits, on CD and 12" UK singles.

Angel Of The Morning

Evie Sands 4-67
Cameo 475

Merilee Rush, P.P. Arnold, Chip Taylor, Juice Newton, Pretenders

Sands' record was among the last issued by Cameo before it went bankrupt. It started to get some airplay but wasn't getting distributed to retailers, so it never took off.

Angels In The Sky

Dick Glasser 1953
Triple A 2522

Tony Martin, Crew-Cuts, Dick Glasser (1959 for Columbia)

Singer/writer Glasser was fairly prolific in the 1950s, but remains a relatively unsung figure. He recorded "Be-Bop Baby," penned by his Cleveland friend Pearl Lendurst, but couldn't get it issued before Ricky Nelson cut it. Thanks to Frank Kramer for the "Angels In The Sky" label image.

Angi (aka Anji, aka Angie)

Davy (aka Davey) Graham 1962
on ep UK Topic TOP70 3/4AD

Bert Jansch, Simon & Garfunkel, John Renbourn, Chicken Shack

A 1961 home recording of "Anji" by Graham has also been issued. Hearing this private recording back when is what inspired Bert Jansch to cut his version.

Anna (Go To Him)

Arthur Alexander 3-62
Dot 16387

Beatles (2-11-63)

Annabella

Dave Dee 1970 (rel. 6-70)
Bell 905

Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds

This was Dee's second solo release after leaving the group Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich.

Although Weedon's was the earliest recording, the Shadows' version was the first issued.

The song's title was taken from the Burt Lancaster movie of that name.

English guitarist Weedon was famous for his instruction manual Play In A Day, first published in 1957. Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, George Harrison, Keith Richards and John Lennon are among those who began with that book.

Writer Burt Bacharch visited the Isleys' session for the song, discovered they'd changed the "Make It Easy On Yourself" lyrics and, after expressing his displeasure, left in disgust. Their recording stayed in the can for nearly 30 years. (Following their runin with Burt, they cut "Twist & Shout" as a possible B-side to "Are You Lonely By Yourself." Clearly their plans changed!)

Bob Haring recorded a song titled "Are You Lonesome To-night?" on 6-18-26, which was issued on Cameo 967, Lincoln 2540 and (as Dixie Daisies) on Romeo 250. This songan instrumentalis not the same as composition as Charles Hart's. Hart's (and therefore Elvis Presley's) was written by Roy Turk and Lou Handman. Interestingly, Haring's song was also
co-written by Roy, but with two others and not Handman. Clearly this was a work in progress for Turk.

Introduced by Miller in the 1941 film Sun Valley Serenade. He had done both vocal and instrumental versions but the vocal didn't make the final cut (although it was included on the 1954 soundtrack release). Glenn's next recording of "At Last" (Victor 27934), was a hit the following year and and another subsequent version was used in the 1942 movie Orchestra Wives.

The song began as a poem, written in 1945 by Jacques Prévert for a French ballet called Le Rendezvous. Composer Joseph Kosma set the poem to music for the 1946 film adaptation (scripted by Prévert) Les Portes du la Nuit (The Gates Of The Night). Yves Montand introduced "Les Feuilles Mortes" in the movie but didn't formally record it until mid-1949.